After a successful 2023-24 season, England Hockey welcomes 16 new teams into the Men’s and Women’s England Hockey Leagues (EHL) for 2024-25.
The England Hockey League is the pinnacle of club hockey in England, the top 12 teams compete to be the Women’s Hockey League Champions and qualify for the EuroHockey League next season.
Women’s Division One sees Conference Midlands winners, Repton and North winners, Pendle Forest play in Division One North for the first time. In Division One South Bristol Firebrands who won Conference West and Guildford, Conference East champions are also newcomers at this level.
The eight newcomers to the Conferences are the Area League winners. North – Alderley Edge (NW) and Whitley Bay & Tynemouth (YNE), Midlands – Loughborough Students 2 (M) and Cambridge University (E), East – Wapping (L) and Sevenoaks 2s (SE), West – Marlow (SC) and Lansdown (W).
In the Men’s Premier Division, Richmond play at this level for the first time whilst Bowdon are back in the top flight for the first time since 2012.
Men’s Division One sees Conference Midlands winners, Stourport and North winners, Lindum play in Division One North having been promoted at the first time of asking. In Division One South league founder members Indian Gymkhana who won Conference East and Bristol University who won Conference West a year after relegation, make the step up.
The eight newcomers to the Conferences are the Area League winners. North – Alderley Edge (NW) and Whitley Bay & Tynemouth (YNE), Midlands – Loughborough Students 2 (M) and Cambridge University (E), East – Wapping (L) and Sevenoaks 2s (SE), West – Marlow (SC) and Lansdown (W).
See the Women’s and Men’s maps showing the allocation of teams to Divisions. In determining the allocations the following is considered
The need to divide Division One into two Divisions and the Conferences into four Divisions all of 10 teams.
- The overall geographic spread of teams – this means that on occasions clubs that are close to each other may not play in the same Division. Also that Men’s and Women’s teams from the same club may play in different geographic Divisions.
- Travel times as well as geographic proximity.
- The overall impact on the combined travel for all the teams in a particular Division.
- At Conference level minimising the number of Divisions teams from the same Area participate in
Not switching teams between different Divisions each season unless the factors above demonstrate it is clearly required
